Door actuating apparatus



J. N. MORRIS ETAL DOOR ACTUATING' APPARATUS Filed May 19, 1944 Patented Jan. 23, 1945 DOOR ACTUATING APPARATUS I John Neville Morris, Edgbaston, Birmingham, and Raymond Leslie Kent, Marston Green, near Birmingham, England Application May 19, 1944, Serial No. 536,404 In Great Britain August 20, 1943 8 Claims.

This invention has for its object to provide an improved door actuating apparatus of the spring and dash pot type. Such apparatus is most usually employed for automatically closing a door, but it is some times used for automatically opening a door.

This invention comprises the combination of a hollow cylinder, 2. piston in the cylinder, a spring adapted to exert pressure on the piston, a swivel thrust piece or pieces supported at one end (directly or indirectly) by the piston, an abutment supporting the other end of the thrust-piece or pieces, the piston and abutment being relatively rotatable, means for effecting relative rotation of the piston and abutment, and a non-return valve for controlling flow of liquid from one side of the piston to the other, the arrangement being such that relative rotation of the piston and abutment in one direction causes the thrust piece or pieces to move from an inclined position towards a position parallel with the axis of the piston, thereby energising the spring, the opposite relative rotation being effected by the thrust piece or pieces being returned towards their initial position under the action of the spring.

The invention also comprises an apparatus as specified in the preceding paragraph and in which the thrust piece or one or more of the thrust pieces is or are adapted to control an additional passage or passages through which fluid may flow from one side of the piston to the other.

In the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a dooractuating apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are fragmentary sectional elevations (taken at right angles to each other) illustrating a modified detail.

Figures 4 and 5 are similar views to Figure 1 illustrating respectively two modified forms of the invention.

In carrying the invention into effect as shown in Figure 1, we employ a hollow cylinder at adapted to accommodate liquid (usually oil) and to be secured with its axis vertical to a door or door frame. Within the cylinder 41 is arranged a piston b capable of both sliding and rotary movements. To the piston b is secured a hollow piston rod 0 which extends through the upper closed end of the cylinder a and has attached to its outer end a radial lever'd adapted to be attached by a swivel joint to the door frame or door, this joint con-' sisting in part of a ball e on the end of the lever remote from the piston rod.

Between the upper side of the piston b and the closed upper end of the cylinder a is arranged a compression spring I, this being supported at its upper end by a removable cover piece g which forms the upper end of the cylinder, and at its lower end by a plate h, which rests on the upper side of the piston through the medium of a ball bearing i.

Within the piston rod 0 (which is open at its lowerend and closed at its upper end) i arranged a non-return valve in the form of a ball i adapted by co-operation with a seating k to control flow of liquid between the upper and lower sides of the piston b through the piston rod and side ports m in the piston 'rod, the seating being formed in a hollow ported member 0 which fits closely the interior of the piston rod and contains the ball, and which is provided on the lower end of a stem p depending from a closure plug q in the upper end of the piston rod. Alternatively, a passage controlled by a non-return valve may be arranged in the piston or in the cylinder wall. Between the underside of the piston b and the lower end of the cylinder a is arranged at least one swivel thrust piece r, but preferably two or more are used, these being situated at equal ra-r dial distances from each other and from the axis of the piston. In its initial position the thrust piece or each of them is inclined to the axis of the piston, but for simplicity is shown parallel to the said axis. The thrust piece r or each of them consists of a stem having a spherical portion 3 at each end, and these ends are respectively supported in concave recesses t in the underside of the piston b and lower end of the cylinder a, this end of the cylinder forming the required abutment between which and the piston relative rotation [can occur. Instead of being formed in the piston b, the upper recess or recesses it may be formed in a part rigid with the piston.

In association with the underside of the piston b is arranged an apertured retaining plate a which is supported on the piston rod 0 by a spring 12, and which is adapted to hold the upper ball end s of the thrust piece 1' or each such piece in operative connection with the piston, the spring being situated between the plate and an abutment ring to on the lower end of the piston rod 0. A similar retaining plate a: is provided for hold-,- ing the lower ball end s of the thrust piece 1' or each such piece in operative connection with the cylinder a, this retaining plate being secured rigidly to the lower end of the cylinder by a central fastening 11 Both retaining plates u, q:

are such as will permit the required articulatory movements of the thrust piece or pieces 1'.

Whenthe component parts of the apparatus above described are in the positions occupied when the door is closed, the thrust piece r is inclined to the axis of the piston b, or when a plurality of thrust pieces are used all are equally and similarl inclined to the axis of the piston. On imparting an opening movement to the door the lever 01 rotate the piston I), through the piston rod 0, and in so doing causes the thrust piece or pieces 1' to move towards a position or positions parallel with the axis of the piston. This movement of the thrust piece or pieces r causes a sliding movement to be given to the piston b and a corresponding compression to be imparted to the spring f. Meanwhile a part of the liquid in which the piston b is immersed flows freely past the non-return valve 7' from the upper to the lower side of the piston. On releasing the door it is returned by the action of the spring J, the latter by its pressure on the piston b causing the thrust piece or pieces T to return to their initial inclined position or positions. The return movement is checked in the usual manner by the H flow of liquid through a restricted clearance between the piston 12 and cylinder a or through a restricted passage or passages formed in the piston or cylinder. If the door is so far opened (say through 90") that the thrust piece 1", or each such piece, assumes a position substantially parallel with the axis of the piston b as shown in the drawing, the door will be automatically held open, as the spring 1 cannot then effect a return movement. This is an advantageous feature of our invention as it enables a door to be retained ina fully open position. To cause the door to be closed it is only necessary to impart to it a small initial movement, and completion of the movement will be effected automatically by the spring 1.

Sometimes, and particularl in cold weather when the viscosity of the liquid is high, the door closing action of the apparatus above described may be sluggish, and an attempt to move the door quickly by the application of manual force to the door may result in injury to the apparatus or the door, a condition which is already familiar to users of automatic door closing apparatus. To obviate this condition we may form in one or more of the piston recesses t above mentioned a hole z providing a passage of ample diameter through which the liquid can flow freely. 'Normally this hole 2 or each of them is closed by the adjacent ball end s of the associated thrust piece 1, but if a manual force is applied to the door causing it to move more quickly than normally, the upper ball end of the thrust piece or each such piece will become suiliciently separated from the surface of the associated piston recess t to allow an unrestricted flow of liquid through the piston 'b, this separation being due to the fact that the piston b tends to move faster than the thrust piece or pieces with the result that the spring b is compressed. But as soon as the manual force is discontinued the apparatus resumes its normal action.

The essential features of our invention are capable of being embodied in a variety of different forms. and the invention is therefore not limited to theexample above described, and in any case subordinate details may be varied to suit different requirements, some typical modifications being shown in Figures 2 to '5, in which parts similar or analogous to those above de- .in the abutment plate.

scribed are sufilxed by l in Figures 2 and 3, 2 in Figure 4, and 3 in Figure 5.

In the example shown in Figures 2 and 3, the required abutment for the lower ball ends s of the thrust pieces r consists of a non-rotatable plate 2 attached at its centre to the lower end of the cylinder (1 by a fastening 3 and fulcrumed at a pair of diametrically opposite positions on projections 4 formed on the lower end of the cylinder, the said fastening being such as to permit pivotal movement of the abutment plate, and serving as an anchorage for an apertured retaining plate 3: whereby the lower ball ends of the thrust pieces are retained in concave recesses t Also the piston b and the valve seating k are formed integrally with the piston rod 0 In the modification shown in Figure 4, we employ a piston b which is slidable only in the cylinder a and which is loaded by a spring f arranged between the underside of the piston and the lower end of the cylinder. The piston b is connected by a swivel thrust piece or pieces r to an abutment plate '5 which is capable of rotational movement, and which is arranged in the upper end of the cylinder a the ball ends 8 of the abutment piece or pieces being situated in recesses t formed in the piston and abutment plate. In this modification the piston rod above described is dispensed with, and the non-return valve 9' and its seating k are situated in a hollow central boss 6 on the piston b Also the abutment plate 5 has formed on or secured to it an axial spindle l which extends through the upper end of the cylinder (1 the operating lever above described being attached to the outer end of this spindle. Rotation of the abutment plate 5 in one direction by the lever causes the piston 19 to be moved along the cylinder an in opposition to the spring f return rotational movement of the plate and lever being effected by the action of the spring on the piston.

In the modification shown in Figure 5, we arrange a rotatable operating spindle 8 in slidable connection with the piston b which is both slidable and rotatable, the spindle being actuated by a lever on the outer end of the spindle. Also the non-return valve and its seating k are situated in a passage H associated with the wall of the cylinder a In other respects this embodiment is substantially similar to the one first described.

Although the thrust pieces in all of the examples illustrated have ball ends for effecting the required swivel connections with the adjacent abutment surfaces, it will be understood that any other convenient swivel connections may be provided at the ends of the thrust pieces.

By this invention we are able to provide a door closing apparatus in a very simple and convenient form, and also we are able to obtain conveniently the additional advantage above mentioned, that the door can be held by the apparatus in the fully open position. Moreover We are able in a simple manner to safeguard the apparatus or the door against injury, by a manually exerted closing action. It will be understood that by appropriate connection with the door the apparatu may be used for automatically opening the door.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Paten 15:

.1. A door actuating appliance of the type specified, comprising the combination of a hollow cylinder, a piston in the'cylinder, a spring adapted to exert pressure on the piston. at least one swivel thrust piece supported at oneend by the piston, an abutment supporting the other end of the thrust-piece, the piston and abutment being relatively rotatable, means for effecting relative rtation of the piston and abutment, and a non-return valve for controlling flow of liquid from one side of the piston to the other, the arrangement being such that relative rotation of the piston and abutment in one direction causes the thrust piece to move from an inclined position towards a position parallel with the axis of the piston, thereby energising the spring, the opposite relative rotation being effected by the thrust piece being returned towards its initial position under the action of the spring.

2. A door actuating appliance as claimed in claim 1 and having at least one additional passage through which fluid can flow from one side of the piston to the other under the control of the piston, the said abutment being formed by one end of the cylinder.

5. A door actuating appliance as claimed in claim 1, in which the piston is both slidable and rotatable relatively to the cylinder, and in which a non-rotatable abutment in the form of a plate fulcrumed On one end of the cylinder is provided for supporting the thrust piece at the end remote from the piston.

6. A door actuating appliance as claimed in claim 1, in which the piston is both slidable and rotatable relatively to the cylinder, and in which there are provided a non-rotatable abutment for supporting the thrust piece at the end remote from the piston, and a piston-actuating spindle passing through one end of the cylinder, the piston being rotatable by and slidable relatively to the actuating spindle.

7. A door actuating appliance as claimed in claim 1, in which the piston is slidable only, and in which a rotatable abutment is provided for supporting the thrust piece at the end remote from the piston.

8. A door actuating appliance as claimed in claim'l, in which the thrust piece consists of a stem having a spherical portion at each end, these end portions being respectively supported in concave recesses in the piston and abutment.

JOHN NEVILLE MORRIS. RAYMOND LESLIE KENT. 

